WilliamHamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton was born on 14 December 1616 at Hamilton, ScotlandG.1 He was the son of JamesHamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton and LadyAnneCuninghame.1 He married LadyElizabethMaxwell, daughter of JamesMaxwell, 1st Earl of Dirletoun and ElizabethdeBoussoyne, on 26 May 1638 at St. Anne's Church, Blackfriars, London, EnglandG.1 He died on 12 September 1651 at age 34 from wounds sustained 9 days earlier, without surviving male issue.1 He was buried at Worcester Cathedral, Worcester, Worcestershire, EnglandG.1 His will (dated 28 May 1650) was proven (by probate) on 28 September 1652. He was educated at University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, ScotlandG.1 He was created 1st Earl of Lanark [Scotland] on 31 March 1639.1 He was created 1st Lord Machansyre and Polmont [Scotland] on 31 March 1639.1 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Portsmouth in 1640.1 He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Scotland] after 1640.1 He held the office of Secretary of State [Scotland] between 1640 and 1644.1 He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) on 10 June 1640.1 He was a Covenanter in 1644.3 He held the office of Secretary of State [Scotland] between 1646 and 1649.1 He was a Commissioner from the Parliament [Scotland] to the King in 1647.1 He was commander of the King's forces in Scotland in 1648.1 He succeeded as the 4th Marquess of Hamilton [S., 1599] on 9 March 1649.1 He succeeded as the 6th Earl of Arran [S., 1503] on 9 March 1649.4 He succeeded as the 2nd Marquess of Clydesdale [S., 1643] on 9 March 1649.4 He succeeded as the 3rd Baron of Innerdale, co. Cumberland [E., 1619] on 9 March 1649.4 He succeeded as the 3rd Earl of Cambridge [E., 1619] on 9 March 1649.4 He succeeded as the 2nd Duke of Hamilton [S., 1643] on 9 March 1649.1 He succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Arran and Cambridge [S., 1643] on 9 March 1649.4 He succeeded as the 2nd Lord Aven and Innerdale [S., 1643] on 9 March 1649.4 He was appointed Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) on 12 January 1649/50.1 He gained the rank of Lieutenant-General in 1651 in the Royalist Scottish Army.1 He fought in the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651 at Worcester, Worcestershire, EnglandG, where he was mortally wounded.1 Lord Clarendon describes him as "of great parts and industry, though loving pleasure too, both proud and ambitious, of an openess and clearness, more to be relied upon than most men of that nation;" and comparing him with his brother, says of him that "he was in all respects to be much preferred before the other; a much wiser, though it may be, a less cunning man; for he did not affect dissimulation, which was the other's masterpiece. He had unquestionable courage ... which the other did not abound in."1 On his death, the Earldom of Arran became dormant, and all his other honours in England and Scotland became extinct, except the Dukedom of Hamilton and the minor honours created with it in 1643, which passed according to the special remainder to his neice.5

ElizabethdeBoussoyne was born in 1590.2 She married, firstly, WilliamRyder.3 She married, secondly, JamesMaxwell, 1st Earl of Dirletoun.1 She died in 1659.2 She was also known as Elizabeth Besyne de Podolska.2 Her married name became Ryder.3 Her married name became Maxwell.1

WilliamDouglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was born on 24 December 1634.1 He was the son of WilliamDouglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and LadyMaryGordon.3,1 He married AnneHamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton, daughter of JamesHamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton and LadyMargaretFeilding, on 29 April 1656.1 He died on 18 April 1694 at age 59 at Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh, Midlothian, ScotlandG, from paralysis.1 He was buried at Hamilton, ScotlandG.1 He was given the name of William Douglas at birth.1 He was created 1st Lord Daer and Shortcleuch [Scotland] on 4 August 1646.1 He was created 1st Earl of Selkirk [Scotland] on 4 August 1646.1 On 20 September 1660 his name was legally changed to William Douglas-Hamilton.1 After his marriage, William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was styled as Lord Machansyre and Polmont on 20 September 1660.1 After his marriage, William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was styled as Duke of Hamilton on 20 September 1660.1 After his marriage, William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was styled as Marquess of Clydesdale on 20 September 1660.1 After his marriage, William Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Selkirk was styled as Earl of Arran, Lanark and Selkirk on 20 September 1660.1 He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Scotland] on 13 February 1660/61.1 In 1676 he was deprived of his Privy Counsellorship [Scotland].1 He was appointed Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) on 25 September 1682.1 He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Scotland] in 1685.1 He held the office of a Commissioner of the Treasury [Scotland] between 1686 and 1689.1 He held the office of an Extraordinary Lord of Session [Scotland] between 1686 and 1689.1 He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) on 14 October 1687.1 He abdicated as Earl of Selkirk and Lord Daer and Shortcleuch on 6 October 1688.4 He held the office of High Commissioner [Scotland] from 1689 to 1690.1 He held the office of President of the Convention at Edinburgh on 14 March 1688/89, which declared the Scottish throne vacant.1 He held the office of High Admiral [Scotland] between 1692 and 1694.1 He held the office of High Commissioner [Scotland] from 1692 to 1693.1 He held the office of an Extraordinary Lord of Session [Scotland] from 1693 to 1694.1 Cockayne states that "the Latin inscription on the monument put up by his widow at Hamilton records that he was 'often viceroy in the meetings of the three estates; president of the secret council in Scotland; secret counsellor in England to three successing Kings.' The character given of him by Bishop Burnet, who knew him well, is that 'he wanted all sorts of polishing; he was rough and sullen, but candid and sincere. His temper was boisterious, neither fit to submit nor to govern. He was mutinous when out of power and imperious in it.' " Gibbs goes on to quote " '... he seemed always to have a regard to justice and the good of his country; but a narrow and selfish temper brought such an habitual madness on him, that he was not capable of designing or undertaking great things'. His nephew, William, Earl of Annandale, writes of him at the time of his death in a similar strain. 'If his temper, constancy, and good humour had been suitable to his aprts, his loss had been a great deal more sensible to the nation'. He was 'a cunning man for his own interest, but else his parts indifferent,' according to Lord Ailesbury, who also alleges that he put into his own pocket large sums paid to him by King Charles II to appease 'the great discontents of the Highlanders.1' " On his death, his life peerages granted in 1660 became extinct.5 He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of Nationary Biography.6

GeorgeGordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly was born circa 1563.1 He was the son of GeorgeGordon, 5th Earl of Huntly and LadyAnneHamilton.2 He married LadyHenriettaStuart, daughter of EsméStuart, 1st Duke of Lennox and CatherinedeBalsac, on 21 July 1588.2 He died on 13 June 1636.3 He succeeded as the 6th Earl of Huntly [S., 1445] on 19 October 1576.2 He held the office of Captain of the Guard in 1588.2 In 1588 he rebelled in concert with Spanish forces.2 Between 24 May 1588 and September 1589 at Borthwick Castle, Midlothian, ScotlandG, he was captured and imprisoned for treason.2 He murdered JamesStuart, 2nd Lord Doune on 7 February 1591/92, slashed to death.2 In 1594 he again rebelled.2 He fought in the Battle of Glenlivet on 3 October 1594, where he overcame the Government force under the Earl of Argyll.2 He was pardoned.2 He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Scotland] in February 1598/99.2 He was created 1st Earl of Enzie [Scotland] on 17 April 1599.2 He was created 1st Marquess of Huntly [Scotland] on 17 April 1599.2 He was created 1st Lord Gordon of Badenoch [Scotland] on 17 April 1599.2